Gaming machine with symbol-specific multipliers

ABSTRACT

A method for use with a gaming machine that is arranged to select symbols, present the symbols on a display and award an award if a winning outcome occurs. The method includes initialising a plurality of award adjustors, each award adjustor being associated with a corresponding symbol in a specified set of symbols, changing a value of each said award adjustor in response to a game event that involves the presentation of the corresponding symbol on the display; and if the winning outcome comprises a symbol from the specified set, adjusting the award dependent on the award adjustor associated with the symbol in the winning outcome.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims the benefit of priority to AustralianProvisional Patent Application No. 2008901163, filed on Mar. 10, 2008,entitled “GAMING MACHINE WITH SYMBOL-SPECIFIC MULTIPLIERS”, which isherein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to gaming machines and methodsof gaming. A particular embodiment of the present invention relates togames involving a plurality of multipliers associated with respectivesymbols.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

With the increase of gambling at gaming venues has come increasedcompetition between gaming venues to obtain a larger share of the totalgambling spend. Gaming venue operators have therefore continuouslylooked for new variations and types of games in order to attract bothnew and return customers to their venues.

In response to this need, suppliers of gaming devices and systems haveattempted to provide the sought after variety, while still developinggames that comply with the relevant regulations in the jurisdiction ofthe gaming venue operator. Suppliers of gaming devices therefore arefaced with restrictions on the types of games and gaming machines thatare allowable, both in terms of the prevailing regulations and in termsof providing a return on investment to the gaming venue operators.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a methodfor use with a gaming machine that is arranged to select symbols,present the symbols on a display and award an award if a winning outcomeoccurs, the method including:

initialising a plurality of award adjustors, each award adjustor beingassociated with a corresponding symbol in a specified set of symbols;

changing a value of each said award adjustor in response to a game eventthat involves the presentation of the corresponding symbol on thedisplay; and

if the winning outcome includes a symbol from the specified set,adjusting the award dependent on the award adjustor associated with thesymbol in the winning outcome.

The award adjustors may be multipliers.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a gamingmachine having a display and a game controller arranged to controlimages of symbols displayed on the display and if a winning combinationoccurs the game controller awards an award, the gaming machine beingarranged to:

initialise a plurality of award adjustors, each award adjustor beingassociated with a corresponding symbol in a specified set of symbols;change a value of each said award adjustor in response to a game eventthat involves the presentation of the corresponding symbol on thedisplay; and

if the winning outcome includes a symbol from the specified set, adjustthe award dependent on the award adjustor associated with the symbol inthe winning outcome.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided acomputer program product including machine-readable program coderecorded on a machine-readable recording medium, for controlling theoperation of a data processing apparatus on which the program codeexecutes to perform a method for use with a gaming machine that isarranged to select symbols, present the symbols on a display and awardan award if a winning outcome occurs, the method including:

initialising a plurality of award adjustors, each award adjustor beingassociated with a corresponding symbol in a specified set of symbols;

changing a value of each said award adjustor in response to a game eventthat involves the presentation of the corresponding symbol on thedisplay; and

if the winning outcome includes a symbol from the specified set,adjusting the award dependent on the award adjustor associated with thesymbol in the winning outcome.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided acomputer program including machine-readable program code for controllingthe operation of a data processing apparatus on which the program codeexecutes to perform a method for use with a gaming machine that isarranged to select symbols, present the symbols on a display and awardan award if a winning outcome occurs, the method including:

initialising a plurality of award adjustors, each award adjustor beingassociated with a corresponding symbol in a specified set of symbols;

changing a value of each said award adjustor in response to a game eventthat involves the presentation of the corresponding symbol on thedisplay; and

if the winning outcome includes a symbol from the specified set,adjusting the award dependent on the award adjustor associated with thesymbol in the winning outcome.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a datasignal including the computer program described above.

Further aspects of the present invention will be apparent from thefollowing description, given by way of example and with reference to theaccompanying drawings. Also, various embodiments of the aspectsdescribed in the preceding paragraphs will be apparent from the appendedclaims, the following description and/or the accompanying drawings. Itshould be understood, however, that the present invention is not limitedto the arrangements and instrumentality shown in the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1: shows schematically a view of a gaming console suitable forimplementing certain embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2: shows a block diagram of a gaming machine suitable forimplementing certain embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 3: shows a block diagram of components of the memory of the gamingmachine represented in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4: shows schematically a network gaming system suitable forimplementing certain embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 5A: shows a flow diagram of a process performed in accordance withan embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5B: shows a flow diagram of a process performed in accordance witha further embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 6A-6E: show a series of displays of an example of a game played inaccordance with the method of FIG. 5A.

FIGS. 7A-7D: show a series of displays of an example of a game played inaccordance with the method of FIG. 5B.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS

In FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings, one example of a gaming consolethat is suitable to implement certain embodiments of the presentinvention is generally referenced by arrow 114.

The gaming console 114 includes two displays 106A, 106B on one or bothof which is displayed representations of a game that can be played by aplayer and a bank of buttons 107A and/or a touch screen 107B to enable aplayer to play the game. The displays 106 may be video display units,such as a cathode ray tube screen device, a liquid crystal display,plasma screen, any other suitable video display unit, or the visibleportion of an electromechanical device. The display 106B may displayartwork, including for example, pay tables and details of bonus awardsand other information or images relating to the game. In alternativegaming consoles the display 106B may be omitted, optionally replaced bya static display.

A credit input including a coin input 110A and/or bill collector 110Ballows a player to provide credit for wagering and a coin output 111 isprovided for cash payouts from the gaming console 114. A card and/orticket reader 108 and a printer 109 may be provided to provide playertracking, cashless game play or other gaming and non-gaming relatedfunctions.

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a gaming machine, generally referencedby arrow 100, suitable for implementing certain embodiments of thepresent invention. The gaming machine 100 may include the gaming console114 shown in FIG. 1 and accordingly like reference numerals have beenused to describe like components in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The gaming machine 100 includes a game controller 101, which in theillustrated example includes a computational device 102, which may be amicroprocessor, microcontroller, programmable logic device or othersuitable device. Instructions and data to control operation of thecomputational device 102 are stored in a memory 103, which is in datacommunication with, or forms part of, the computational device 102.Typically, the gaming machine 100 will include both volatile andnon-volatile memory and more than one of each type of memory, with suchmemories being collectively represented by the memory 103. Theinstructions to cause the game controller 101 to implement certainembodiments of the present invention will be stored in the memory 103.The instructions and data for controlling operation of the computationaldevice 102 may be stored on a computer readable medium from which theyare loaded into the gaming machine memory 103. The instructions and datamay be conveyed to the gaming machine by means of a data signal in atransmission channel. Examples of such transmission channels includenetwork connections, the Internet or an intranet and wirelesscommunication channels.

The game controller 101 may include hardware credit meters 104 for thepurposes of regulatory compliance and also include an input/output (I/O)interface 105 for communicating with the peripheral devices of thegaming machine 100. The input/output interface 105 and/or the peripheraldevices may be intelligent devices with their own memory forinstructions and data.

In the example shown in FIG. 2, the peripheral devices that communicatewith the controller are the displays 106, bank of buttons/touch screen107, the card and/or ticket reader 108, the printer 109, a bill acceptorand/or coin input 110 and a coin output 111. Additional devices may beincluded as part of the gaming machine 100, or devices omitted based onthe specific implementation.

The bank of buttons 107A and/or touch screen 107B together with one orboth of the displays 106 may provide a user interface 115 through whichthe gaming machine 100 and player communicate. If a card/ticket reader108 is provided, this may also form part of the user interface 115.

In addition, the gaming machine 100 may include a communicationsinterface, for example a network card 112. The network card 112, may forexample, send status information, accounting information or otherinformation to a central controller, server or database and receive dataor commands from the central controller, server or database. The networkcard 112 may also enable communication with a central player account,allowing cashless gaming. One or more of the peripheral devices, forexample the card/ticket reader 108 may be able to communicate directlywith the network card 112. The network card 112 and the I/O interface105 may be suitably implemented as a single machine communicationsinterface.

The game controller 101 may also include a random number generator 113,which generates a series of random numbers that are used by thecomputational device 102 to determine the outcomes of games played onthe gaming machine 100.

The game controller 101 may have distributed hardware and softwarecomponents that communicate with each other directly or through anetwork or other communication channel. The game controller 101 may alsobe located in part or in its entirety remote from the user interface115. Also, the computational device 102 may include a plurality ofdevices, which may be local or remote from each other. Instructions anddata for controlling the operation of the user interface 115 may beconveyed to the user interface 115 by means of a data signal in atransmission channel. The user interface 115 may be a computationaldevice, for example a personal computer, used by a person to play a gameprovided from a remote game controller 101.

FIG. 3 shows an exemplary block diagram of the main components of thememory 103. The RAM 103A typically temporarily holds instructions anddata related to the execution of game programs and communicationfunctions performed by the computational controller 102. The EPROM 103Bmay be a boot ROM device and/or may contain system and game relatedcode. The mass storage device 103C may be used to store game programs,the integrity of which may be verified and/or authenticated by thecomputational controller 102 using protected code from the EPROM 103B orelsewhere.

FIG. 4 shows a gaming system 200 in the form of a network of devices.The gaming system 200 includes a network infrastructure 201, which forexample may be in the form of an Ethernet network. Alternatively, awireless network and/or direct communication channels, or a differenttype of network may be used to link the gaming machines to a server,each other and/or other devices. Gaming consoles 114, shown arranged inthree banks 203 of two gaming consoles 114 in FIG. 4, are connected tothe network infrastructure 201. The gaming consoles 114 may form part orall of a gaming machine 100. Single gaming consoles 114 and banks 203containing three or more gaming devices 202 may also be connected to thenetwork infrastructure 201, which may also include bank controllers,hubs, routers, bridges to other networks and other devices (not shown).

One or more displays 204 may also be connected to the network 201. Thedisplays 204 may, for example, be associated with a bank 203 of gamingconsoles 114. The displays 204 may be used to display representationsassociated with game play on the gaming devices 202, and/or used todisplay other representations, for example promotional or informationalmaterial.

Servers may also be connected to the network 201. For example, a gameserver 205 may generate game outcomes for games played on one or more ofthe gaming consoles 114, a database management server 206 may manage thestorage of game programs and associated data in a database 206A so thatthey are available for downloading to, or access by, game controllers101, and a jackpot server 207 may control one or more jackpots for thegaming system 200.

Further servers may be provided to assist in the administration of thegaming system 200, including for example a gaming floor managementserver 208, and a licensing server 209 to monitor the use of licenses toparticular games. An administrator terminal 210 is provided to allow anadministrator to manage the network 201 and the devices connected to thenetwork. The different servers depicted can be distinct physical serversor logically distinct server processes running on a single physicalserver.

The gaming system 200 may communicate with other gaming systems, otherlocal networks, for example a corporate network and/or a wide areanetwork such as the Internet through a firewall 211.

FIGS. 5A and 5B show process flow diagrams of a process performed inaccordance with embodiments of the present invention. The process may beperformed by the gaming system 200, in which the gaming consoles 114each include game controllers 101 to form gaming machines 100. However,those skilled in the relevant arts will appreciate that the process willalso be able to be implemented by other gaming systems.

The processes of FIGS. 5A and 5B and the examples of FIGS. 6A-6E and7A-7D are described primarily with reference to a spinning reel game inwhich a set of reels spin and halt to display an array of symbols. Inone arrangement there are 5 spinning reels which halt to display threesymbols each, ie a symbol array of 5×3 symbols is presented on thedisplay. The spinning reels may be mechanical reels each bearing asequence of symbols. Alternatively, the reels may be a computeranimation that is rendered to display 106 to show the set of spinningreels. It will, however, be understood that the game of FIGS. 5A and 5Bcan also be applied to other types of games in which a set of symbols isselected and presented on a display. Examples of such games includepoker games, keno games, bingo, pin and ball games and dice games.

Initially, the game controller 101 monitors the bill acceptor and/orcoin input 110 and/or information received by the card/ticket reader 108or network card 112 for a deposit of credit and in response causes thehardware meters 104 to increment according to the denomination of thegame. The game controller 101 then monitors the user interface 107 forthe input of a wager.

If there are sufficient credits in the meters 104 to support the wager,a game play is commenced by the game controller 101. The method 500 ofFIG. 5A shows a feature game that is triggered from a base game. Instage 502 the game controller 101 determines whether one or moreeligibility criteria triggering the feature have been satisfied. Thereare many criteria that may be used in order to trigger a feature game.Examples include an event in the base game (such as a display of aspecified combination of symbols) or a machine event, such as an outputtriggered by the random number generator 113. The feature may also betriggered by a system event in gaming system 200. For example, if anaccumulating jackpot reaches a specified threshold, a feature may betriggered. Specified events in a player-tracking system may also triggera feature. For example, if a player has played a specified number ofgames or wagered a specified number of credits, a feature may betriggered. In a further example, the player may be required to purchasethe feature or to place an ante bet that enables the feature to betriggered upon occurrence of a specified game event.

Once the feature has been triggered, there are further criteria thatdetermine the duration of the feature. For example, the feature may havea fixed duration. Alternatively, a series of game plays in the featuremay end if an end condition occurs. A series of feature games may alsobe extended if an extension condition occurs in the feature.

In some arrangements the feature is differentiated from the base game.For example, the cost of the game may change (for example, the featuregames may be free), the prize values may change, the prize patterns maychange and/or the set of symbols may change. New symbols may beintroduced or the function of symbols may change. An example is afeature game in which one or more specified symbols become wild duringthe feature. In addition, the game itself may change, for example from abase game that is a spinning reel game to a card game in the feature.

At stage 504, the game controller initialises a set of award adjusters.The value of the award adjusters may be displayed to the player, forexample, via display 106A. Each award adjuster corresponds to aspecified symbol that is potentially displayed in the feature game. Forexample, the specified symbols may be included in the set of symbolsassociated with spinning reels in a spinning reel game. The specifiedsymbols may be added to the total set of symbols for the feature game.Alternatively, the specified symbols may already be present in thesymbol set used in the base game.

In one arrangement, each of the award adjusters is initialised to avalue of 1 for each of the corresponding specified symbols. However, inother arrangements the award adjusters need not start at 1, but ratherat a nominated value chosen by the game designer and defined in therules of the game. In one arrangement all of the award adjusters areinitialised to the same value. Alternatively, the initial value of theaward adjusters may be different for different specified symbols. Insome arrangements the initial values may be randomly selected.

In step 506, game play commences and a set of symbols is displayed ondisplay 106. For example, in a spinning reel game, the reels are spunand halted to display a 5×3 array of symbols.

At stage 508 the game controller checks whether one or more of thespecified symbols have been displayed. If so, then in step 510 thecurrent value of the award adjuster corresponding to the displayedspecified symbol is changed. In one arrangement, the award adjusterincreases by a quantum of 1 for each of the corresponding specialsymbols which are displayed at the conclusion of step 506.

In other arrangements, the increment is not 1, but may be a largervalue. Different increments may apply to different award adjusters. Thevalue of the award adjustors may be capped in some arrangements.

In other arrangements, a display of a specified symbol may cause thecorresponding award adjuster to decrease. A lower limit may bespecified. For example, the game rules may determine that an awardadjuster cannot fall below a value of 1. The amount used to increment ordecrement the award adjusters may depend on which feature game is inplay.

Once the award adjusters have been changed in step 510, process flowcontinues to step 512, in which the game controller checks whether awinning outcome has been displayed.

If none of the specified symbols has been displayed (the No option ofstep 508) then process flow also continues to step 512 to check whethera winning outcome has occurred.

If there is no winning outcome (the No option of step 512) then processflow returns to step 502 to check whether the eligibility criteria arestill satisfied. If so, the feature game continues. If the eligibilitycriteria are no longer satisfied, the feature may terminate.

If a winning outcome is displayed, in process 514 the game controllerchecks whether the winning outcome includes one or more of the specifiedsymbols.

If there are no specified symbols in the winning outcome then the awardspecified for the game is awarded in step 516 and process flow returnsto step 502 to check whether the eligibility criteria for the featureare still satisfied.

If there are one or more of the specified symbols in the winning outcome(the Yes option of step 514) then in process 518 the game controlleradjusts the award dependent on the current value of the award adjusters.

In one arrangement the award adjusters are multipliers, and the value ofthe award is multiplied by any multipliers associated with symbolsappearing in the winning outcome.

In other arrangements, the award adjusters may affect the award in adifferent manner. For example, the value of the award adjuster may beadded to the normal prize. For example, an amount of 50 may be added tothe normal award for each CAT symbol displayed in step 506.

FIGS. 6A-6E illustrate the method of FIG. 5A. FIG. 6A shows an exampleof a display rendered to display 106A in the course of a base game. Inthe example, the base game is a spinning reel game that displays a 5×3array of symbols 604.

A credit space 602 is displayed on displays 106 to show the player'scurrent credit, bet and any wins. In the example, the player has bet 5credits (1 credit on 3 lines) and wins 10 credits for the 3 DOG symbolsdisplayed adjacent to one another on the middle row of the symbol array604. According to the rules of the game of the example, the 3 DOGsymbols also initiate a series of 3 feature games.

FIG. 6B shows how the displayed information changes when the feature istriggered. In the example, the feature games are free and any CAT orMOUSE symbol in a winning combination will multiply the value of the winby the displayed multiplier value. Each time a CAT or MOUSE symbolappears anywhere in the symbol array during the feature game, acorresponding multiplier is incremented by 1.

The information in the credit space 606 is augmented to show amultiplier 610 for the CAT symbol and a multiplier 612 for the MOUSEsymbol. An indication of the number of free games remaining is alsodisplayed.

FIG. 6C shows the outcome of the first feature game. The 5×3 symbolarray 616 is shown, including 2 MOUSE symbols and 3 CAT symbols. In thecredit space 614, the CAT multiplier is incremented to 4 and the MOUSEmultiplier is incremented to 3. The credit space 614 shows that thereare 2 free games remaining.

There are no wins in the array 616 and so no awards are made.

The outcome of the second feature game is shown in FIG. 6D. Thedisplayed array of symbols 620 includes 1 CAT symbol, so the CATmultiplier value increases to 5. Since there are 3 MOUSE symbols, theMOUSE multiplier increases to a value of 6, as shown in the credit space618.

The check for winning outcomes reveals that there is only one winningcombination on the 3 purchased lines, namely the 3 adjacent MOUSEsymbols on the centre line. This symbol combination would ordinarilygive an award of 10 but in the present case the award is multiplied by 6and so the adjusted prize is 60 and the win meter increments as shown inthe credit space 618.

FIG. 6E shows the outcome of the third feature game. The reels stop toshow the symbol array 624, which includes 5 CAT symbols so the CATmultiplier value increases to 10. There are 3 MOUSE symbols in the array624, so the MOUSE multiplier increases to 9.

In evaluating the prizes, there is only a single winning combination onthe 3 purchased lines, namely the 5 CAT symbols shown on the bottom ofthe 3 lines. This symbol combination would normally pay 50 but in thiscase will be multiplied by 10. The adjusted award is thus 500 asillustrated in the credit space 622.

The feature sequence is then over and the game returns to the base game.

In other arrangements, the symbol-specific multipliers need not berestricted to a feature game, but may be used in general game play. Thisarrangement is illustrated in method 550 in FIG. 5B. Processes 504-518are as described with reference to FIG. 5A, and will not be discussedfurther. Method 550 does not have the initial step of determiningwhether the eligibility criteria for a base game have been satisfied.

One difference between method 550 and method 500 is that when an awardhas been adjusted according to an award adjuster in method 550, thecorresponding award adjuster is reset to a default value in step 568.

An example of a game played in accordance with the method 550 is shownin FIGS. 7A-7D.

As shown in FIG. 7A, the player plays a normal game at 1 credit perline. Three lines are played so the total bet is 3, as shown in thecredit space 702.

One MOUSE symbol and 1 CAT symbol appear in the symbol array 704 and sothe CAT and MOUSE counters in the credit space 702 are incremented by 1.There is a winning pattern on the centre line of 3 adjacent 10 symbols.The player wins 10 credits. Because of the winning outcome does notinclude a CAT or a MOUSE symbol, the award is not adjusted.

FIG. 7B shows an outcome from the next reel spin. The player plays anormal game at 1 credit per line. Three lines are played so the totalbet is 3. The credit meter has increased by 10 for the prior win and hasbeen decreased by 3 for the wager.

One MOUSE symbol and 2 CAT symbols appear in the symbol array 708 and sothe CAT and MOUSE counters are incremented by 1 and 2 respectively, asshown in the credit space 706. There are no winning outcomes in thesymbol array 708.

FIG. 7C shows the outcome of a third reel spin. The player bets 3 and sothe credit meter decrements by a value of 3. The symbol array 712includes 3 CAT symbols and so the CAT multiplier increments by 3 to avalue of 7. There is winning outcome in the symbol array 712, namely 3adjacent CAT symbols in the top line. The normal prize for 3 CATs is 20.Accordingly, the player is paid an adjusted award of 7×20=140.

FIG. 7D shows the outcome of a fourth reel spin. As seen in the creditspace 714, the credit meter has increased by the previous win and hasbeen decremented by the bet of 3. The CAT multiplier has been reset to avalue of 1. One MOUSE symbol has been displayed in the symbol array 716,and so the MOUSE multiplier is increased to a value of 4.

There are no winning outcomes in the symbol array 716 and so no awardsare made.

In an alternative embodiment, one symbol may cause, or result ineligibility for, adjustment of a multiplier or other award adjustor, butanother symbol may influence how much the multiplier is changed. Forexample, if the MOUSE symbol is associated with a correspondingmultiplier, that multiplier may be increased by one if the MOUSE symboloccurs alone, or may increase by two if a CHEESE symbol is alsopresented on the display. The CHEESE symbol could be presented anywhereon the display, or may have to be displayed in a certain location or inone of a number of certain locations. An example of the latter is thatthe CHEESE symbol may have to be displayed adjacent to the MOUSE symbol.

In another alternative, display of the MOUSE symbol alone may not resultin any change in the corresponding multiplier, the multiplier only beingchanged when the MOUSE symbol is displayed with one or more CHEESEsymbols. The amount of the change may be dependent on the number ofCHEESE symbols. The amount of the change may instead be dependent onboth the number of CHEESE symbols and the number of MOUSE symbols.

In the two alternatives, the CHEESE symbol could itself have acorresponding award adjustor. Otherwise the CHEESE symbol may have otherfunctions in the game, or have the sole function of influencing theamount that the award adjustor is changed when the MOUSE symbol occurs.

While the foregoing description has been provided by way of example ofthe preferred embodiments of the present invention as presentlycontemplated, which utilise gaming machines of the type found incasinos, those skilled in the relevant arts will appreciate that certainembodiments the present invention also may have application to internetgaming and/or have application to gaming over a telecommunicationsnetwork, where handsets are used to display game outcomes and receiveplayer inputs.

Where in the foregoing description reference has been made to integershaving known equivalents, then those equivalents are hereby incorporatedherein as if individually set forth.

Those skilled in the relevant arts will appreciate that modificationsand additions to the embodiments of the present invention may be madewithout departing from the scope of the present invention.

It will be understood that the invention disclosed and defined in thisspecification extends to all alternative combinations of two or more ofthe individual features mentioned or evident from the text or drawings.All of these different combinations constitute various alternativeaspects of the invention.

It will also be understood that the term “comprises” (or its grammaticalvariants) as used in this specification is equivalent to the term“includes” and should not be taken as excluding the presence of otherelements or features.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerousvariations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown inthe specific embodiments and/or aspects without departing from thespirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The presentembodiments and aspects are, therefore, to be considered in all respectsas illustrative and not restrictive. Several embodiments are describedabove with reference to the drawings. These drawings illustrate certaindetails of specific embodiments that implement the systems and methodsand programs of the present invention. However, describing the inventionwith drawings should not be construed as imposing on the invention anylimitations associated with features shown in the drawings. It will beunderstood that the invention disclosed and defined in thisspecification extends to all alternative combinations of two or more ofthe individual features mentioned or evident from the text or drawings.All of these different combinations constitute various alternativeaspects of the invention.

The present invention contemplates methods, systems and program productson any electronic device and/or machine-readable media suitable foraccomplishing its operations. Certain embodiments of the presentinvention may be implemented using an existing computer processor and/orby a special purpose computer processor incorporated for this or anotherpurpose or by a hardwired system, for example.

Embodiments within the scope of the present invention include programproducts comprising machine-readable media for carrying or havingmachine-executable instructions or data structures stored thereon. Suchmachine-readable media can be any available media that can be accessedby a general purpose or special purpose computer or other machine with aprocessor. By way of example, such machine-readable media may compriseRAM, ROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, Flash, CD-ROM or other optical diskstorage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or anyother medium which can be used to carry or store desired program code inthe form of machine-executable instructions or data structures and whichcan be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer orother machine with a processor. When information is transferred orprovided over a network or another communications connection (eitherhardwired, wireless, or a combination of hardwired or wireless) to amachine, the machine properly views the connection as a machine-readablemedium. Thus, any such a connection is properly termed amachine-readable medium. Combinations of the above are also includedwithin the scope of machine-readable media. Machine-executableinstructions comprise, for example, instructions and data which cause ageneral purpose computer, special purpose computer, or special purposeprocessing machines to perform a certain function or group of functions.

1. A method for use with a gaming machine that is arranged to selectsymbols, present the symbols on a display and award an award if awinning outcome occurs, the method comprising: initialising a pluralityof award adjustors, each award adjustor being associated with acorresponding symbol in a specified set of symbols; changing a value ofeach said award adjustor in response to a game event that involves thepresentation of the corresponding symbol on the display; and if thewinning outcome comprises a symbol from the specified set, adjusting theaward dependent on the award adjustor associated with the symbol in thewinning outcome.
 2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the awardadjustors are multipliers and adjusting the award comprises multiplyingthe award by the value of one or more of the multipliers.
 3. A methodaccording to claim 1 wherein changing the value of the award adjustorcomprises incrementing the award adjustor for each occurrence of thecorresponding symbol.
 4. A method according to claim 3 wherein the valueof the award adjustor is incremented by an amount greater than one foreach occurrence of the corresponding symbol.
 5. A method according toclaim 1 comprising decrementing at least one award adjustor if apredetermined symbol is displayed on the display.
 6. A method accordingto claim 1 comprising resetting at least one award adjustor to a defaultvalue if the at least one award adjustor is used to adjust an award. 7.A method according to claim 1, wherein the value each said awardadjustor is changed by a value related to the number of times thecorresponding symbol is displayed.
 8. A method according to claim 1,wherein the value each said award adjustor is changed is also dependenton the occurrence of a further symbol, different from the correspondingsymbol.
 9. A method according to claim 8, wherein when the furthersymbol is displayed on the display together with the correspondingsymbol, the award adjustor is increased by an amount more than if thecorresponding symbol was displayed alone.
 10. A gaming machine having adisplay and a game controller arranged to control images of symbolsdisplayed on the display and if a winning combination occurs the gamecontroller awards an award, the gaming machine being arranged to:initialise a plurality of award adjustors, each award adjustor beingassociated with a corresponding symbol in a specified set of symbols;change a value of each said award adjustor in response to a game eventthat involves the presentation of the corresponding symbol on thedisplay; and if the winning outcome comprises a symbol from thespecified set, adjust the award dependent on the award adjustorassociated with the symbol in the winning outcome.
 11. A gaming machineaccording to claim 10 wherein the award adjustors are multipliers andadjusting the award comprises multiplying the award by the value of oneor more of the multipliers.
 12. A gaming machine according to claim 10wherein changing the value of the award adjustor comprises incrementingthe award adjustor for each occurrence of the corresponding symbol. 13.A gaming machine according to claim 12 wherein the value of the awardadjustor is incremented by an amount greater than one for eachoccurrence of the corresponding symbol.
 14. A gaming machine accordingto claim 10 further arranged to decrement at least one award adjustor ifa predetermined symbol is displayed on the display.
 15. A gaming machineaccording to claim 10 further arranged to reset at least one awardadjustor to a default value if the at least one award adjustor is usedto adjust an award.
 16. A gaming machine according to claim 10, whereinthe value each said award adjustor is changed by a value related to thenumber of times the corresponding symbol is displayed.
 17. A gamingmachine according to claim 10, wherein the value each said awardadjustor is changed is also dependent on the occurrence of a furthersymbol, different from the corresponding symbol.
 18. A gaming machineaccording to claim 17, wherein when the further symbol is displayed onthe display together with the corresponding symbol, the award adjustoris increased by an amount more than if the corresponding symbol wasdisplayed alone.
 19. A computer program product comprisingmachine-readable program code recorded on a machine-readable recordingmedium, for controlling the operation of a data processing apparatus onwhich the program code executes to perform a method for use with agaming machine that is arranged to select symbols, present the symbolson a display and award an award if a winning outcome occurs, the methodcomprising: initialising a plurality of award adjustors, each awardadjustor being associated with a corresponding symbol in a specified setof symbols; changing a value of each said award adjustor in response toa game event that involves the presentation of the corresponding symbolon the display; and if the winning outcome comprises a symbol from thespecified set, adjusting the award dependent on the award adjustorassociated with the symbol in the winning outcome.
 20. A computerprogram comprising machine-readable program code for controlling theoperation of a data processing apparatus on which the program codeexecutes to perform a method for use with a gaming machine that isarranged to select symbols, present the symbols on a display and awardan award if a winning outcome occurs, the method comprising:initialising a plurality of award adjustors, each award adjustor beingassociated with a corresponding symbol in a specified set of symbols;changing a value of each said award adjustor in response to a game eventthat involves the presentation of the corresponding symbol on thedisplay; and if the winning outcome comprises a symbol from thespecified set, adjusting the award dependent on the award adjustorassociated with the symbol in the winning outcome.